Remedial or medical



I (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

M. F. & J. H..POTTS. REMEDIAL 0R MEDICAL APPLIANCE.

No. 468,946. Patented Feb.- 16, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. F. & J. H. POTTS. REMBDIAL 0B. MEDICAL APPLIANCE.

No. 468,946. Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARY FLORENCE POTTS AND JOSEPH H. POTTS, OF AUSTIN, ILLINOIS.

REMEDIAL OR ME DICAL APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,94d, dated February 16, 1892.

Application filed April 16, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatwe, MARY FLORENCE Ports and JOSEPH H. POTTS, citizens of the United States, residing at Austin, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Remedial or Medical Appliances,of which the following is a specification. Y

This invention relates to the application of heat to parts of the human body as a counterirritant in disease; and .its object is to provide a convenient device for this purpose possessing superior advantages in point of simplicity, economy, durability, and general efficiency as a substitute for poultices or cataplasins of flaxseed, bread and milk, or other plastic materials, or which can be used instead of mustard or similar plasters to blister the cuticle.

Our improved remedial appliance consists of a number of small segments of metal, soapstone,'or other suitable material flexibly connected together and preferably provided with a handle which enables it to be lifted, the whole forming what might be termed a flexible dry plaster, which, being heated in any convenient way, is enveloped or covered in use to prevent it from burning the skin, and bound or laid upon the body.

The material to be used in constructing the plaster should be a good retainer of heat, due regard being had to lightness and durability. The envelope is preferably composed of three layers of material, the inside layer of ashes:

tus paper or cloth, the middle layer of cottonbatting, and the outerlayer of flannel. This envelope provides a soft covering of suflicient thickness to prevent too rapid radiation of heat to the body of the patient, and it also acts as an absorbent and retainer of the moisture exuded by the'skin.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the envelope broken away at one corner to expose a portion of the plaster or heater. Fig. 2 is a view of the plaster re moved from its cover, and Fig. 3 shows the method of application to various parts of the human body.

In the drawings,A represents segments,preferably of metal or soapstone and rectangular in form, and, say, three-sixteenths of an inch in thickness. A number of these segments Serial No. 389,152. (No model.)

are flexibly united together by metallic links B, which pass through apertures a in the segments A, and the surfaces of these segments are preferably cut away at the apertures, so

that the links will notproject above the surface. The number of segments used and the manner in which they are joined together will depend to a great extent upon the size and shape of the plaster which it is desired to make.

In Fig. 2 we have shown aconvenient form of plaster to be applied to the stomach or chest, and in Fig. 3 we have shown plasters applied to the forehead, chest, abdomen, lower limb, and wrist.

The purpose of flexbily uniting the segments together is to adapt the plaster to be applied to any part of the body; but instead of the links shown the segments may be hinged or joined together in any other way which will permit them to be flexed in use. 0 represents a handle or bail applied to one edge of the plaster. The envelope shown in the drawings will be of approximately the form of cotton-batting or other material of a floc- 8o culent nature, and the exterior layer 6 is preferably flannel. One end of the envelope may be closed and have the band or tape F secured thereto, and the opposite end willbe open and the flaps thereof conveniently joined after the 8 5 plaster is inserted by applying the ring G to one and the tape H to the other of said flaps, the tape being drawn through the opening of the ring after the plaster is inserted.

Although this plaster is applied in the dry heatedstate, it has been found in practice that the skin will exude sufficient moisture to produce the same beneficial efiect as the wet plasters of plastic materials without the detrimental effect of soiling and wetting the clothing of the patient. Of course this dry plaster can be more quickly prepared for application and applied without soiling or wettin g the clothing of the patient.

It is well known that the removal of mus- 10o tard or fly plasters from the inflamed cuticle is a tedious and painful operation, and our improved plaster, while equally efficient, can beremoved at once and without increasing the pain. It may also be made ready for application quickly, as it can be heated by the flame of a lamp or gas-jet, or, if desired, placed directly in the fire.

We do not advise the use of this plaster to blister the skin, as we consider it preferable to use ust enough heat to cause a deep reddenlng of the cuticle and produce irritation or Itch ng, which can be kept up for a long perlod and extended over a large surface.

Without limiting our invention to the spe-' cific materials or the precise structure described, we claim- 1. A remedial appliance consisting of segments adapted to receive and retain heat and flexibly united together, substantially as described.

2. A remedial appliance for the application of heat to the human body, comprising a number of segments of a material capable of takin g and retaining heat, flexibly united to each other at their margins, and an envelope or covering therefor, substantially as described.

3. A remedial appliance comprisinga series of segments of material capable of taking and retaining heat and apertured at their margins and flexibly connected together and provided with a bailor handle, substantially as described.

4. A remedial appliance comprisinga series of metallic segments having apertures near their margins and their surfaces cut away around such apertures, metallic links connecting the segments by being passed through said apertures, and a bail or handle applied to one of the edges of the appliance, substantially as described. 5. In combination with a remedial appliance comprising a series of segments flexibly united together, an envelope therefor composed of a 

